


Charles Xavier X Reader – A Safe Sleep

by writeyouin



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Angst, Fire, Fluff, Minor Character Death, Reader-Insert, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-19 14:20:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14239122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writeyouin/pseuds/writeyouin
Summary: The reader is a mutant with the power to see and feel how other people have died in the past during sleep; when (s)he no longer wants to sleep, Charles is there to help them through it. A request based on the Taylor Swift song 'Safe and Sound.'





	Charles Xavier X Reader – A Safe Sleep

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the Taylor Swift song 'Safe and Sound.'

Mutants. Sometimes their powers could be a great gift, the power to make things grow, the ability to touch the clouds with beautiful wings, the gift of healing. All too frequently however, one would get an ability commonly feared, the power to kill with a thought, the ability to create vile pestilence that could wipe out millions, the curse of feeling the pain of those gone from this world.

The latter was your ability, much to your dismay you had been cursed to see how mutants had died, feeling their pain, both emotional and physical when you slept; sometimes you thought you’d rather die than feel the pain of another mutants’ death. You lay on your bed attempting to read, the words jumped around in front of bleary eyes; four days without sleep had some unusual side-effects. Finally, your body couldn’t handle it anymore and despite all the caffeine pumping through your bloodstream you collapsed into a deep slumber.

The peaceful darkness didn’t last long, you were now seeing the world through the eyes of another mutant, a dead mutant; it was something you would never be prepared for, living out the final minutes of a mutant who had died long ago.

The immense fear of the mutant you had embodied flooded through you, the room you were trapped in was filling quickly with thick smoke, the burning heat of fire surrounded everything; the entire house was burning. There was no control in your movements, that was up to the mutant whose life this was; you were merely here to spectate in first person. You ran over to the window in a terrified panic, it was on the second floor of a tall building, looking through it revealed a group of people, all stood on the lawn, watching while you screamed for help; they just watched, grinning.

The worst part of this death was the mutant’s ability to hold her breath for a prolonged period of time; it meant that she didn’t die from smoke inhalation as you had hoped but instead by burning alive. Your screams pierced through the silence of the mansion as excruciating pain seared through your body; the tissue damage began first, continuing into deep nerve damage, it didn’t stop until the loss of blood caused the mutant to go into hypovolemic shock that eventually caused lung failure.

“(Y/N), WAKE UP! (Y/N), IT’S ME, CHARLES, FOLLOW MY VOICE AND WAKE UP.”

You bolted upright, head-butting Charles as you did so, he held onto you tightly, sending comforting waves through your mind; you clung onto him tightly, your tears and mucus soaking through his shirt.

“I was – I was in a fire and my skin was burning and I could feel my lungs failing and-” You struggled between gasping breaths.

Charles stroked your hair, speaking in a low, comforting tone, “I know, it’s okay now, you’re safe.”

“Safe? How am I safe? I keep seeing these deaths but I can’t do anything about them, I tried not sleeping but it’s not working – It’s tearing me apart.”

“I know this feels like a curse but I promise you it’s not.”

“Yes, it is. I need an off switch, how is this power even remotely useful, all I ever see is the cruel ways that people have killed mutants. You want to know the worst part; the worst part is that some of the deaths are modern, these mutants were killed by people who should know better. Tell me, how can I do anything with this?” The anger and sadness that had built up over months took precedence in your voice.

“Only by seeing others’ pain can we truly begin to understand why change is needed.” Charles replied wisely, he examined you thoughtfully, noticing how dishevelled you looked; dark circles had formed under your eyes and you were looking unusually pale. He manoeuvred his way onto your bed, “I know that you’re scared but there is one thing that joins humans and mutants alike, the need to sleep, it is the one thing everyone has in common and you are no exception; you look exhausted and I know it’s not fair for me to ask but please, try again, sleep.”

“I can’t. Not again, please don’t make me.”

“Yes, you can – you just need to trust me and more importantly yourself.”

“Don’t make me do this, at least not alone. Please… don’t leave me alone,” you pleaded with trembling lips.

“My dear, I’ll never let you go,” he laid on the bed next to you, enveloping you with strong arms.

With Charles there holding you, you reluctantly let yourself drift off to sleep. Hours passed - you opened your sleep encrusted eyes to find a sleeping Charles still holding you as promised; he looked so peaceful lying there that you didn’t want to wake him, even with your fantastic news.

You rested your head on his chest, opting to whisper the news, it didn’t matter that he couldn’t hear it, you just needed to say it, “I found my off switch Charles. I think I found it because of you. For the first time in a long time I didn’t dream, thank you for that,” his arms seemed to tighten around you, watching him in such a vulnerable state gave you the courage to add something else, “I love you.”

He smiled arrogantly, opening his eyes a crack, “I wondered when you’d say it, I love you too.”


End file.
